Further to this, the company took the initiative to upgrade its
product range by extending it into the industrial sector.

In addition, it acquired the German-multinational brand
Ultra-filter, which offers a range of compressed-air and gas
filters, desiccant dryers, oil and water separators, chillers,
in-plant compressed-air systems and condensate purification
systems.

“We can handle all challenges, including transport on the
growing network of highways that link the continent’s
important centres, agriculture and mining in our varied climatic
zones and industrial air quality in the manufacturing
sector,” Sheehan notes.

He adds that the African continent requires filtration solutions in
particular.

“These solutions protect and enhance human working
environments on one hand and extend the operating life of vehicles,
machinery and equipment on the other.” As Africa’s need
for filtration solutions deepens, Donaldson believes that it has a
range that addresses all these concerns with products and
technology.

“We are at the forefront of the filtration industry
worldwide,” Sheehan continues.

Hydraulic offerings
Donaldson also develops, manufactures and markets a full line of
industrial hydraulic filters for the protection of machinery and
components in hundreds of applications.

These products are used in both factories and heavy-duty mobile
equipment.

The company’s Duramax pro- duct, meanwhile, is well known as
the highest-rated spin-on-style filters available and are most
often used in return-line positions.

“As spin-ons, they are particularly well suited for duplex
circuits.” It is learnt that the company’s low-pressure
filter products are the most commonly-used type of filter in
hydraulic circuits, used as return- line filters in applications
with typical working pressures.

In terms of the compressed-air filters, the company has over 30
years’ of compressed-air purification experience.

Further, it has developed an extensive line of air filtration pro-
ducts with a range of efficiencies and optional features to
cost-effectively meet clients’ needs.

“Our prefilters and afterfilters can be custom-configured to
suit the requirements of clients’ specific
applications.” When it comes to products related to oil and
water separators, the company’s separators condensate to a
residual oil content as low as five parts per million, which allows
the processed water to be discharged into most municipal
water-treatment systems.

Other challenges that face the pneumatic industry is the routine
discharge of condensate from compressed-air systems, which can
result in significant energy consumption in the form of wasted
compressed air.

For this reason, Donaldson has developed a ‘zero-loss’
drain valve that is used to discharge condensate without any loss
of compressed air.

Providing process filtration solutions for gases and liquids that
come into contact with the product during manufacturing, maximum
purity standards are maintained.

“We were one of the first in the industry to have received
this certification for high-level quality control,” he
explains.

More about the company
The company was founded in 1915 and started a three-man shop manu-
facturing simple air cleaners for farm tractors. By the 1950s,
Donaldson had established worldwide sales and distribution through
licensing agree- ments with overseas manufacturers.

The company’s strong client relationships accelerated its
international growth nearly 40 years ago. Donaldson established
operations in England to support Caterpillar in 1958, and today its
services the needs of its customers through operations in 19
countries. This includes its operations in South
Africa. From South Africa a broad customer-service footprint
extends well into Sub-Saharan Africa.

Today, the business has expanded its product portfolio and has
grown into a worldwide corporation with some 11 000
employees.

During the 1970s, the company applied its technology to create
innovative filtration solutions to clean inlet air for gas
turbines.

Now, Donaldson creates and manu- factures air-filtration systems
for stationary gas turbines and other rotating equipment used in
power generation, oil and gas production.

“Thus far, the new century has been a good one for us and the
diversification with strategic acquisitions has resulted in a
strong financial performance,” Sheehan concludes.

Drive and control technology specialist Hytec is observing a slow paradigm shift among end-users who are starting to factor long-term costs into their strategies instead of only short-term costs and, in doing so, are beginning to embrace the latest electronic...

In collaboration with the Milwaukee School of Engineering (MSOE), seals and sealing solutions provider Hallite Seals Americas has developed and performed a test method over the past eight months to assess the amount of dirt entering a simulated hydraulics system...

By: Terence Creamer
Embattled South African steel producer ArcelorMittal South Africa (AMSA) has offered insight into the “fair pricing model” it has tabled before government in return for tariff protection and a government stipulation that locally manufactured steel be designated for...

By: Natasha Odendaal
Telecommunications group Telkom on Friday said it had posted a 1.7% uptick in net revenue for the three months to June 30, on the back of a strong performance by mobile on data revenue and higher fixed-line subscription revenue. Mobile net revenue for the first three...

By: Reuters
Dangote Cement revised its 2015 spending plans to $1-billion from the $700-million estimated nine months ago after it commissioned two new African plants this June, Nigeria's biggest listed company said on Friday. The company, majority owned by billionaire Aliko...

There are very few beacons of hope on South Africa’s economic horizon. Economic growth is weak, unemployment is rising, electricity supply is insufficient to meet demand and/or spur growth, with poor prospects for many of the commodities mined and exported. However,...

The statutory body responsible for skills development and support in the banking sector, BANKSETA, was investing R68-million in the capacity building project of the University of Venda (UniVen), announced Bankseta company secretary Caroline King at a media event in...

ARMANDÉ KRUGER
Balancing the collection and processing of data must be aligned to strategy

Many complementary services enable companies to derive broad value from data inside and outside them. The complexity of data management means that companies’ strategies determine the various data systems and functions they will use, says PBT Group regional sales...

The South African Civil Aviation Authority (SACAA) has announced that it had awarded the country’s first remotely piloted aircraft systems (RPAS) pilot’s licence. It was issued on Friday, July 10, to SACAA employee and qualified commercial pilot Nicole Swart,...